Tethers

1-Cast Away to Land

"Have you ever seen something that changed your entire perspective?
Has the world ever thrown you such a curve ball you needed years to recover? That's how it was for me.
My name is Jameson, and I'm fourteen years old. The year is 2017.
But back fourteen years ago, I was dropped off as a baby on the steps of the newly made Midway Islands School.
With only a note, dark blue kimono, and some wood slippers.
From then on, I was raised by scholars who never actually went above their pay grade to appraise me.
I was a tiny in size and wasn't a huge burden on my guardians.

So they set me up in a room by the sea, on the third floor, left wing of the school.
It was tiny just like I was.
White walls, ceiling, and blind closet.
But the setting would my make head spin with winding thoughts later in my life. The sea however surrounded my humble room with sounds of freedom. Even though in my childish thoughts it was the fishes bathroom, I later grew a great respect for Poseidon's realm.

As it did add ambiance to the vacuum of space with its variety of blues. Some blues where as sweet as blueberrys. Others would nip at your senses like crabs snapping at you making your regret your life choices.
Soon I began to read.
I became the lord of books around the school. Being college level by the tender age of eight maybe even earlier. However, it was nothing to brag about by that time seeing as my peers where consumed by passing dramatic flashes of the outside world. Seeing big ships pass by every graduation and holiday as they opened the gates between confinement and freedom. The ships meticulously maintained their freeing air no matter how many years passed.
No matter how many feet had set afoot on the islands for the last or first time.

I never found myself caught up in the strange traveling. Except when I traveled through my countless hoards of genre I kept hidden away. It was a very dangerous thing, as I would come away from every piece of media eating away at my purity. Injecting its biased influence into my soul.
Works of religious text, alchemy, modern science, fantasy, sci fi, historical fiction?
You name it. I have read it.

The Great Gatsby? Check.
Romeo and Juliet? Check.
The Hunger Games? Check.
But guides to witchcraft?
Checkmate yet again.
I paid my dues to the sea every other day, by placing offerings on my makeshift altar. Learning from the text I conducted my practice. Using the older students left over cigarette ends making them into incense. Collecting shells from all the times I had strolled the school grounds.
Despite what my rambles may have made you think, I've never visited the sea.
I've been everywhere but my own home.

But then you showed up here.
And I've never been quite as happy!"

"Exposition dump much Jameson?"
He stood up off of the stool I had given him. His grey sweater coat was soaked with the sea's tears. His light grey hair reflecting the pale blue moonlight.
The sun lied through the moons teeth.
As did he.
At least I think?
The boy put his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels.
"Wanna go?"

"Where?"
I stuttered.

"Outside."
The boy smirked, offering me his hand.
I shrunk feeling curiously terrified.
Like a deer in headlights.
I didn't think so I took the nearest exit.
Getting hit by the car of his request.

Like the weak little faun I was, I gave in as he led me astray from my woodland home to the beach. Rain drawing circular shapes called puddles.
The boy began to run to the shoreline, where the wreck of his boat had been wounded by the tip of Poseidon's trident.
He chuckled,
"Like it Jameson?"

"I-I think I do!"